66 YEARS OLD

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 109, 1 February 1930, Page 12

66 YEARS OLD

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE GROWTH OF IMPORTANT DEPARTMENT

Although the Government Printing Office held its fiftieth annual picnic at Maidstone Park, Upper Hutt, on Tuesday, the actual history of this important Department of State goes 16 years further back, for it was in Auckland in 1864 that the first Printing Office came into being. From a very humble beginning in the northern city sixty-six years ago the Department has grown to immense proportions to-day, printing and supplying stationery to the Government of New Zealand to the value of about a quarter of a million pounds sterling annually, while its total assets reach the same figure.

In the year 1862 a Commisison appointed by the Government inquired into the advisability of establishing a printing office. It reported in favour of the proposal, and an order was sent to the Government agent in England to purchase the necessary plant, which arrived in Auckland by the ship Statesman in June, 1864, at a cost of £844. Mr. J. L. Wilson was appointed Government Printer, and with a staff of eight men and two boys immediately started operations in a leased portion of a building known as the Lyceum Building situated in Alten Road, Auckland.' The printing ■vyas done on double-demy and superroyal Albion presses. These two, together with three more presses, which were shortly afterwards added, are still in use in the present establishment. The plant and material were soon found to be inadequate and had to be supplemented by an order supplied by Messrs. Sharwood, of Sydney, while again in August, 1864, another order was sent to England, which included a double-crown “Belle Sauvage” machine. Removal to Wellingtqn. On February 6, 1865, the Government Printer was instructed to take the necessary steps for the immediate removal of the printing office to Wellington, but owing to pressure of work this could not be undertaken until March 22 following. Not being desirous of leaving Auckland, Mr. Wilson resigned his position of Government Printer, and Mr. George Didsbury, the overseer, was entrusted with the work of seeing the plant safely to Wellington, subsequently receiving promotion to the position of Government Printer. The position of overseer was filled by Mr. James Costal!. On the arrival of the plant in Wellington it was placed in a building on the present Hotel Cecil site. A photograph in yesterday morning’s issue showed the structure in 1880. The “Belle Sauvage” machine, ordered in the previous year, arrived by the ship Black Swan in April, 1866—nineteen months Jater. As it was then thought that a steam engine was part and parcel of a printing machine, great consternation arose when it was found that there had been no provision made for motive power. It had to be worked by hand until a six-horse-power engine and boiler could be procured. Early Days. In the same year the printing of duty stamps was entrusted to the Government Printer. By this time the work of the office had so increased that it was decided to procure another machine, a sec-ond-hand “Belle Sauvage” being obtained from Melbourne. The two machines and five presses combined were capable of producing 3500 impressions per hour. During the period between 1868 and 1874 the staff increasefl frdm 30 to 99 hands (61 permanent, 38 temporary), and during that period the office had extended its operations by establishing bookbinding, lithography photo-lithography stereotyping, and railway-ticket printing branches. 'To provide accommodation for these extensions, the building had to undergo several alterations, with additions, in the course of which the whole plant had to be removed to a temporary building. There was a gradual increase of plant up to 1881, and in 1883 a fourfeeder Wharfcdale was obtained, which had to be placed in a corrugated iron shed specially built, and was driven by a traction engine. This machine was sold to a local newspaper in 1885. In October, 1884, the Government Printer was obliged to ask for more accommodation, as the work of the Department was being retarded owing to the cramped working conditions, and he suggested that a new building be erected. The recommendation was adopted, but it did not take shape until two or three years later. In 1888, when a portion of the present building was ready for occupation, the plant was moved to the other side of the Quay after being housed in the old premises for 23 years. New machines were installed in the new building to enable work to be carried on without interruption during the period of removal of the plant. A Progressive Twenty Years. In 1893, on the death of Mr. Didsbury. Mr. J. Costall, the accountant, being also a practical printer, was appointed to the" position. He retired three years later, and was succeeded by Mr. J. Mackay, from the “Star” office in Dunedin. Under Mr. Mackay’s regime, from 1896 to 1916, the volume of work increased enormously, necessitating the introduction of the most up-to-date machinery and appliances, which included a Dawson quad cap two-feeder and perfecting machine obtained in 1898, which was still in use, doing splendid work, until 1925, when it was sold to a country newspaper in the South Island. A further extension of work took place in 1901 by the addition of a process engraving plant. About three years later consideration was given to the advisability of adopting machine composition, and shortly afterwards linotype and monotype machines were installed. During Mr. Mackay’s administration, the most notable improvements to the building were made—the handsome frontage to Lambton Quay, and an addition to the machine-room. On Mr Mackay’s retirement, after twenty years’ service, the value of the plant, after allowing for depreciation, was £23,189. Mr. Marcus F. Marks, copy and Hansard supervisor, was appointed to succeed Mr. Mackay, who retired in 1916. Soon after he-took charge, the new eastern wing to Featherston Street was ready for occupation. In this was installed new machinery, and a complete reorganisation of the departments took place. After holding office for six years, Mr. Marks retired on superannuation, and Mr. W. A. G. Skinner, the present Government Printer, took up office on June 1, 1922. Present Government Printer. Although Mr. Skinner was born in Taranaki in 1865, he is really a Wellington boy, and he was educated at Thorndon School under the late Mr. W. Mowbray, so many of whose “old boys” gained distinction later in life. In 1879 he entered the office as a reader’s boy, and through the years he fans been right through the mill ns fnr as the printing trade is concerned. During the eight years of his administration all the plant has been brought thoroughly up to date with the installation of the latest automatic feed printing machines, and the introduction of 'automatic machinery in all the other branches of the establishment. Last year the value of the plant and machinery was £61,010, and during the year Government Departments were supplied with printing and stationery to the value of £179,851 and £45,762 respectively. Adhesive and impressed stamps, postal notes and post and letter-cards to the value of £2.935,112 were produced, and 7.124,493 railway tickets were printed.